Happy Friday to you all! How are you today? What’s going on in your personal world today?

Well… whatever it is, I hope you have a good day, filled with energy and purpose. I pray you have good clarity for what needs your attention today, and peace in the decisions that must be made. I pray you have strength and good health to meet your obligations today, and friendship, love and/or companionship to help along the way.

Most of all, I pray you have sweet communion with the One who made you and created you, for all things good; who knew you and loved you, before you were even born.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you;” (Jeremiah 1:5)

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

I know, I can hear you saying it. These days it does seem particularly hard to rise with a good, positive attitude and be upbeat & hopeful for the day. I know. With the “war on terror,” mean-spirited politics, flailing economy, job losses, etc, it’s hard to find much to celebrate in the news, isn’t it? And frankly, most of us are pretty stressed out with trying to provide for our families, right? Yikes, so much negative emotion going on!

Well, let’s take this moment to regroup, to recharge – as I pray peace for you today. Wherever you are, I pray that you’ll feel God’s peaceful presence with you, giving you energy and discernment for the things that truly matter, whatever they may be in your life, and help you let go of the things that don’t.

Let’s just let down and de-stress – for a moment.

Okay, think about when you were young, did you ever find a shiny penny, a pretty little rock or seashell, some little item that was a special little treasure to you? Remember that feeling, that excitement in finding, in holding that little treasure? I pray today that you find a special little treasure – a feeling, an emotion, a relationship, a trinket, a friend, a memory – that brings a smile to your face, a joy to your heart, like that special little treasure when you were young. I pray for something or someone to be that special little treasure in your day.

See what you can find in your day today, to be that awesome little treasure, bringing a little piece of positive joy to brighten your day. Even if it’s just a happy memory hidden in your heart. Find it, pull it out and live it again!

And if you’re able, I invite you to go out and be a special little treasure for someone else today – or how about this weekend? Take a moment, an hour, a day – whatever you can, and give a compliment, open a door, buy a cup of coffee, help a friend – or even a stranger. Try making a positive difference in someone else’s life. You might just feel a little piece of joy stick you right in the heart. (grin)

For it is written, Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 (NASB)

Or in today’s words: Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. (Philippians 4:8-9 The Message)

So, for today, for this weekend, let’s take a time out from all the wars, the anger, the backbiting and cursing going on everywhere. Let’s instead, find or be a treasure! How about it? Are you in? Let’s make a pact to concentrate on positive thinking today. Let’s dwell on the good things in our lives and some good things we can do or get involved in around us. (Remember that “thinking of you” card you were going to send? Or that caring phone call you were going to make, or neighbor’s lawn you were going to mow, or invite to lunch, or helping chore you were going to do? Or how about that prayer you were going to say? Ooooooohhhhh. Or maybe that book you were going to read, that walk in the garden, or church you were going to check out?)

Well, today’s the day!

Let’s set our hearts and our heart-longings on things that really matter, things that truly might make a difference, in our lives, or someone else’s. Let’s forget about all the haters and hate-filled stuff going on and instead fill our minds and words with affirmation and kindness. Let’s find the positive instead of the negative. Let’s try to build up instead of tear down.

After experiencing my first dry, HOT Nevada summer, I am definitely enjoying this week’s burst of cooler, fall weather – yay! How about you? Waking up to a brisk 49 degrees (and after pulling out my warm, fur lined slippers), I find myself longing for a bowl of hot, satisfying Cream of Wheat! Mmmmm…Rich and creamy, made with milk and a touch of pure maple syrup for just a hint of sweetness, topped with dried cranberries and cinnamon toasted walnuts or pecans – oh yes! Just what my tummy is hungering for.

Mmmmm…that was SO good! Soothed me right up!

As I was eating, I got to thinking this: my rich, delicious, soothing bowl of cream of wheat does for my tummy and body, just what my relationship with God does for my soul and my life. Oooooh yeeeeeaah! Here’s how:

The thick, hot cream of wheat itself serves as my breakfast foundation; it’s the soothing, nutrient rich filler that lines my tummy and satisfies my hunger. Just like my relationship with God. Believing in God, allowing myself to love Him, and having deep faith, fills me up with goodness, satisfies my hunger for belonging and self-worthiness, soothes my battered soul and creates the rich foundation for everything in my life.

The little touch of pure maple syrup serves as the wholesome little bit of sweetness I need to not crave delicious and tempting super fats like fried donuts and pies in the morning!! This is like prayer – my conversations with God. Talking with God fills me up with sweet love from my Maker, satisfying my craving for acceptance and love and all the very tempting but bad-for-me things in this world. After imbibing in a little prayer time, I feel loved and renewed and good about myself, and relieved of the need to go out and seek the wrong kind of acceptance socially.

The cranberries lend a little bit of tartness just to liven things up. They get my orneriness and backbone going, just like God’s Word or Scripture does. When I need a little strength and courage to do what needs to be done, I can always go to the Book and find that encouragement and backbone, and even a little direction for my day to day living. Plus, cranberries are loaded with anti-oxidants and help improve immune function. Scripture is also loaded with anti-oxidants for life, and applying God’s words to my life definitely improves my immunity to temptation. (smile smile)

The cinnamon adds a little spice for variety and flavor. Just like my Christian service and ministry work. I love the sometimes sweet, sometimes spicy flavor of cinnamon, and I love the sweet feelings and spicy variety I find in helping/doing nice things for others. People and physical work can be great fun, but they can also be quite spicy! But like cinnamon, mission work is full of variety and adds so much robust flavor to my life!

And, finally, the nuts give a little shot of protein, a little “meat” to cling to my tummy, which helps the rich cream of wheat fill me up, making me feel that much more satisfied and content. This is just how I feel when I visit (fellowship) with other believers, whether socially or in church. They back up and affirm my faith, helping to enrich and shore up my confidence and satisfaction in serving God. And when I might falter, they are there to help carry me through the empty spots. These friends are God’s little helpers in making my life rich, happy, full and satisfying.

Considering today, the momentous and historical Supreme Court Decision involving Hobby Lobby and contraception, and the wild array and ends of the spectrum comments/tweets/posts regarding this decision, I’d like to say this:

If you would like your employer to pay for your “emergency contraception” or “morning after pill” or “week after pill” then in America you are free to work for a company that is not in conflict with providing those to you. If we want the freedom to participate in the use of this type of (religiously controversial) birth control, then we also have to allow others the freedom to NOT participate in the use of it. It goes both ways.

As in all our life choices – work for, associate with, socialize with, spend your life with those who share your beliefs. In America, we are free to choose and practice what we believe – as long as it does not harm another – and we have the right to NOT be ridiculed nor injured for (safely) practicing those beliefs.

Hobby Lobby is an openly Christian, family owned and run business, conscientiously trying to put into practice what they believe. It has been documented that they are good to, and provide very good benefits for their employees, including much better than average beginning pay. And they do willingly provide common birth control – what they object to is “emergency contraception” such as the morning after pill and the week after pill, because the results of using them would conflict with their spiritual beliefs on abortion. They provide numerous local charity benefits in the communities surrounding each of their stores, and close early during the week and are closed on Sundays so that their employees can have more family time.

1). If a person has such differing views/beliefs than a place of business, so much so that it causes conflict within said person, why would this person want to work in this business? Wouldn’t it be better for them personally to obtain employment in a business they are more comfortable with?

2). Why would anyone want to boycott and make flounder one of the few businesses today that provides so much good for their employees and communities, one that gives back and truly cares about them? And all because this business doesn’t believe it should provide an emergency abortion pill free of charge? This makes no sense to me.

Mindy Cantrell

As of June, 2018, we are back home in Texas! Though I have loved living in the tropical beauty of Kwajalein, RMI, the East Coast, and Las Vegas, it's now time to be home near my family! After all, I am a MiMi now <3 #MiMisrule
Those who know me best say I am super naive, gullible, and naturally flirty, and I say I am just a girly girl who has a deep passion for, and love of God. Which means I love people and I love lovin’ on people ☺
Like many of you, I’ve had my fair share of tragedy and sadness and have finally shed my stained and tear laden sackcloth and
I am HEALED and I choose JOY!
And I firmly believe that life is all about helping each other, standing in the gap, and holding each other up whenever we can. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Isaiah 1:17 Isaiah 58:10
I am married to my super sweetheart for 25 years, have a beautiful social-worker daughter and amazing wounded warrior son-in-law, and the cutest little 8 yr old granddaughter who takes up much of my time!
I love to talk and I love to listen, and I’d love to have a conversation with you! Won’t you join me?
#mimishavemorefun #adoptionrocks #LayItAllDown #Healed #Joy